Viscosimeter



Patented Man-30, 1943 vlscosmE'rEa Walter T. Knauth, Houston, Tex., assignor'to The Milwliite Company Inc., a corporation Application January 13, 4194:2, ISeral No. 426,578

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a viscosimeter and has been particularly designed to continuously record the viscosity of a liquid. y

One object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the character described which will make a continuous record ofthe viscosity of rotary drilling muds-that is, mud laden fluid which is pumped down through a drill pipe and allowed to return to the surface between the drill pipe and well bore in the process of drilling a well with rotary drilling tools.

Another object of the invention is to provide a viscosimeter embodying a movable baille, a stylus, a, record receiving element and operative connections between the baille and stylus whereby a record of the movements of the baille is made on the record receiving element with means for continuously projecting a stream of the liquid -against; the baille.

The viscosity of rotary drilling uid is important to the operator as its value is indicative of suchcharlacteristis as per Ycent solids, pumpability and others affecting rate of drilling.

The common apparatus used by drilling operators to determine viscosity'is a marsh funnel viscosimeter which is manually operated, usually by the driller helper who periodically makes this viscosity test. The march funnel comprises a funnel shaped container having a restricted opening at the bottom from which the mud ows into a graduated container. Time observations are made for a given amount of drilling uid to flow from the funnel through the restricted opening. It is obvious that the viscosity thus measured in seconds required for a given lamount of drilling fluid to ilow from the funnel is in reality a measure of velocity of flow through the restricted opening. The present invention embodies a mechanical arrangement whereby the velocity of a similar flow, which may be considered comparable to viscosity, can be continuously recorded. This is accomplished by 'allowing the viscosimeter nozzle to project the stream of drilling fluid horizontally against the movable lbaille which in turn actuates a stylus to make a record on a record receiving element. To effect continuous Aoperation of vthe apparatusa constant head reservoir is maintained which is equipped with an overilow and which is continuously supplied with drilling fluid directly from the well" and from which a stream of drilling iiuid is continuously projected in horizontal direction against the baile.

`With the above and invention has particular relation to novel feaother objects in view the` tures of construction, operation and arrangement of parts, an example of which is given in this specication and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 shows a side tus.

Figure 2 shows a plan view. Figure 3 shows an end elevation, partly in section, taken on the line 3-3 of Figure l, and

Figure 4 shows an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the nozzle.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing wherein like numerals of reference designate similar parts in each of the iigures, the numeral I designates a suitable base upstanding from which are standards as 2 which support a reservoir 3 at the required elevation above the base. The

drill iluid is conducted from the well into the reservoir through a suitable pipe 4 and flows therefrom through the conductor pipe 5.which terminates in a horizontally directed nozzle 6' which is preferably restricted toward its discharge end. Within the conductor pip' and upstream from the nozzle 6, there is a straightening vane 1 to cause ystream line now from the nozzle, that is, to neutralize the whirling of the ejected stream. Excess flow entering the reservoir 3 is relieved through an overflow 8 so that there will be a constant head pressure.

The liquid ejected from the nozzle 6 is finally delivered to the trough 9 and is returned to the mud pit through a return pipe I0 and the overiiow from the reservoir 3 may also be returned to said pit. Also upstanding from the base I, there is a frame Il on which is mounted a` mechanical recorder I2 which includes a movable record receiving element I3 and stylus I4. 'I'he stylus moves back 'and forth across the record receiving element in accordance with the movement of the baille I5 as hereinafter explained. The upper end of the bale I5 is xed to a transverse shaft I6.

Upstanding from the base -IA and spaced from n the frame Il, there a standard I1. As indicated in Figure l. the frame Il is of an approximately inverted U-shape with the recorder l2 supported by the transverse bar of said frame.

, The standard I1 is in transverse alignment with one of the legs of the frame II as shown in Figures 1 and3 and said leg Il and standard Il sup'- port the pin bearings I8, I! which extend inwardly and support the respective ends of the shaft I6 whereby the baille is nicely mounted to pivot. The pin bearing I8 may be threaded throughthe leg of the frame Il and secured at any selected point-otadjustment bythe lock elevation of the apparal bar of the frame il there is a bracket 25 whose upper end is turned transversely with its free portion 2i downwardly turned.4 The downwardly turned free portion 2i has an inwardly directed pin point bearing 2l iixed thereto and supporting one end of the shaft 24 and the other end of said shaft 2l is supported by a pin pointv bearing 2l threaded through the bracket 25 and secured at any selected point of adjustment by the lock nut 29.

Fastened to the shaft 2l and extending outwardly therefrom in a direction opposite to that of the arm 23, there is a rod 30 which isoutwardly threaded and screwed onto which there is an adjustable weight 3l. 'Ihe stylus I4 is iixed, at its upper end, to the shaft 24.

'I'he reservoir 3 is kept filled with the drilling iiuid. A stream of liquid as 32 will be projected outwardly in a' horizontal direction from the nozzle 6 and Ywill strikey against the baille I5.

This baille is arcuate from end to end and isV curved in cross-section. The liquid will therefore strike theconcaved side of the bame and will fall on down intothe trough l. y

As the viscosity of the liquid varies, the force of the stream I2 against the baille will correspondingly vary, causing a variation in the position of the baille. -As the baille moves, the stvlus4 .will also correspondingly move through the linkage above described and a record of the stylus movements will be made on the record receiving element I3, thus accurately indicating variations in the viscosity of the liquid above or below the desired standard.

In'order to keep the trough of the baille moist so as to prevent the solid material in the liquid from adhering to and drying on the baille, a noz- `zle Il has beenrprovided with its discharge end directed into the trough of the baille near its upper end. Clean liquid is supplied through thisv nozzle 33 from any suitable source through a hose as 34. Only suiiicient clean iiuid is supplied to the baille to keep it cleansed, the weight of the cleansing uid adhering to the baille not being sulcient to aii'ectthe accuracy of its operation.

, The drawing and description merely, are illustrative, while the broad principle of the inven- -tion will be defined by the appended claims.

VWhat I claim is:

1. A continuous recording viscosimeter comprising a horizontally fixed viscos'imeteitube, means for supplying a liquid to the tube under constant, gravitational, linear head pressure, a.

baille pivoted to move with variations of the parabolic curves of the liquid stream from the viscosimeter tube projected thereon and effective to actuate a stylus to make a record of the viscosity.

2. A continuous recording viscosimeter comprising a constant linear head reservoir, a nozzle placed horizontally and eiiective to project a liquid stream, having a velocity in proportion to viscosity of the liquid, means for supplying liquid from the reservoir to the nomle under constant, gravitational,` linear head, a straightening vane interposed in the line between said constant head reservoir and said viscosimeter nozzle, to assure stream line iiow, a baille movable in accordance with the velocity of the projected liquid stream, and a mechanical recorder responsive to the movement of the baille. 4

3. A viscosimeter comprising a reservoir and a liquid conductor leading from the reservoir and terminating in an approximate horizontally disposed nozzle arranged to project a stream variable in its path in accordance with variations'in velocity, means for maintaining a constant vertical head pressure at the nozzle, a movably mounted baille arranged in the path of said stream ejected from the nozzle and varying in its position in accordance with variations in the path of the liquid stream, a record making device and means operatively connecting the bame with the record making device,-wherebythe record will vary in accordance with said variations in velocity.

4. A viscosimeter comprisingan arcuate trough-like baille pivotally connected to a support, a record making device, means connecting the baille to the record making device, whereby a record will be made of the movements of the baille, and means for projecting a streamlof the liquid, to be measured, in parabolic curves against the baille, said pivotal point being so located as to be substantially common to the tangents of the various parabolicncurves at the point of contact with the baille, whereby the baille will be caused to move in accordance with said curves.'

5. A continuous recording viscosimeter comprising a tube extending approximately horizontally, means for supplying the liquid to be tested to said tube with a constant gravitational linear head pressure, a baille pivoted to move in accordance with variations in the path of the liquid stream projected thereagain'st from the tube, a movable record receiving element and a stylus operatively connected with the baille and actuated thereby to make a record on said element.

6. A continuous recording viscosimeter comprising an approximately horizontal tube terminating in a nozzle, a baille pivoted to move in accordance with variations in' the path of the liquid stream from the tube projected thereon,

lmeans for supplying liquid to the tube under an ly Vhorizontal nozzle, means for supplying a liquid, having a constant vertical head, to the nozzle under head pressure, said nozzle being arranged to project a liquid stream having a muzzle velocity which varies with the viscosity of the liquid, thereby producing variations in the parabolic path of the stream, a bame mounted -to move in accordance with said yariations, a record making device and means operatively connecting the baille with the record making device whereby the record will vary in accordance with .variations in the viscosity of the liquid.

WALTER T. KNAU'I'H. 

